Research is the key to the future

Many people are not
aware of the role that research plays in daily life. Fortunately for
many, research continues and advances are made. Most autism research advances are directly linked to the willingness of
individuals and their families to volunteer. By volunteering for studies,
families help contribute to advances that may include earlier detection and more
accurate diagnosis and new treatments based on evolving scientific
advances in autism research.

The objectives of the Center for Excellence in Autism Research
(CeFAR) at the
University of Pittsburgh are to
enhance the understanding of the earliest symptoms of autism and to
explain the primary mechanisms that cause the cognitive and behavioral
expressions of autism. This center, established in 1997, investigates
how people with autism think, how the brain looks and works, and how
genes can make people susceptible to autism spectrum disorders. A better
understanding of these issues will lead to the development of new
cognitive treatments and to the identification of the most effective
goals for new interventions.